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INTERMEDIATE FICTION
Mendonca, Sarah J.

An Encantadora's Guide to Monstros and Magic

368 pp. | HarperCollins/Quill Tree | July, 2025 | Trade ISBN 9781335012883 $19.99
(2) 4-6 As a Trapper, Rosa Coelho, twelve, works tirelessly with her avo (grandmother) to rid the community of monstros and mystical pests that harm citizens. The Coelhos are licensed to use trapping magic, but licenses come at a steep cost. Secretly, Rosa wants to follow in her lost father's footsteps and become a Keeper, a magic user licensed to create and open magical locks. When the Ministry declares that her avo owes an exorbitant debt, Rosa "auditions" for and joins a group of thieves. Mendonca has crafted a dystopian fantasy with familiar tropes -- a hierarchy of magic users, abuses of the magic system by the government to keep some people oppressed in poverty, and clashes with monsters -- to please middle-grade and middle-school fantasy fans, with Portuguese words and cultural influences included. Pretending to be a licensed Keeper, Rosa is a pleasantly imperfect protagonist, a strong-headed girl capable of making selfish decisions but still caring deeply for those she loves. Mendonca assembles a lovable band of child thieves who all have something to hide, which adds an undercurrent of tension throughout. A thrilling twist at the end will make readers eager for the next installment in the projected series.
Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2025

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